History of Charlotte Lesson Plan

Grade & Subject: Central Focus:

3rd grade Social Studies History of Charlotte, North Carolina

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

3.H.1 Understand how events, individuals and
ideas have influenced the history of local and
regional communities. Date submitted:
3.RL.10 By the end of the year, read and
comprehend literature, including stories, Date taught: 3/17/2017
dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the
grades 23 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Daily Lesson Objective: Students will be able to independently write a diamante poem about the history of
Charlotte. To show mastery of the assignment, students must have the correct format for the poem and it should
be about the history of Charlotte.
21st Century Skills:
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Students will show critical thinking and
Vocabulary):
creativity through this assignment. They are Understand. Comprehend.
both necessary for writing the poem
Prior Knowledge:
On the day before, students were introduced to what a diamante poem is. They also came up with several as a
class. Students should have a basic knowledge of this type of poem. Students will also need to be familiar with
the history of Charlotte prior to independent practice.

Activity Description of Activities and Setting Time

Our lesson will be done through a Prezi. Teacher should open the Prezi prior
to beginning of lesson.
Who can tell me some places and things that Charlotte has to offer? (Allow
students to give input.) We have some neat places and things to do in our city.
(Teacher will begin clicking through presentation.) We have the University of
1. Focus and Review
North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers. The
Discovery Place is an popular place to experience in Charlotte. We are also
home to the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Carowinds is a short
drive from us. Racing goes on at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. We are also
home to many different businesses here in the Queen City.
2. Statement of Today we are learning a little about the history of Charlotte and we will end by
Objective for Student writing a poem about what we have learned.
3. Teacher Input Teacher will follow along with the presentation.
Here are some quick facts about Charlotte. The population of Charlotte and
the surrounding areas is about 2.5 million people. Charlotte is the second
largest banking center in the United States. Bank of America has headquarters
in Charlotte. Charlotte is the third fastest growing major city in the United
States.
During the 1750s, people of European descent settled along the Catawba
 River. Before they settled this land, the Catawba Indians inhabited this land.
This settlement became the town of Charlotte. They named the town after
King George the thirds wife, Queen Charlotte. This is where Charlotte got the
nickname the Queen City.
Back before there were places like WalMart or Target, how did people get
the things they needed? Allow several students to answer this question.
Charlotte was the place were two Indian trails crossed paths. One of those
paths was called the Trading Path and connected the south with eastern
Virginia. The second path connected Charleston to the mountains. This path
would eventually become Trade Street. The intersection of Trade and Tyron
was where everything happened. Has anyone ever noticed that the roads in
Uptown make squares? That has been that way for many years and we can
thank the people who started the town of Charlotte for that.
Who thinks they know why is it called Uptown instead of Downtown?
Allow several students to answer this question. If you walk towards
Independence Square in the middle of Center City, you will always be
moving upward.
Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Mecklenburg county
declared it's own independence. On May 31, 1775, the Mecklenburg Resolves
declared the "authority of the King or Parliament " to be "null and void.
Meck Dec is celebrated each year on May 20th.
Charlotte also experienced a gold rush. After the Revolution, a totally
unexpected event put Charlotte on the money map. In 1799, a boy named
Conrad Reed, playing in a creek 25 miles east of the city, picked up a 17-
pound rock that glittered. His parents used it for a doorstop until a sharp-eyed
merchant offered them $3.50 cash for it. It was the first piece of gold ever
discovered in North America.
UNCC was first started in Uptown Charlotte in 1946. It was almost shut
down but Bonnie Cone saved the college in 1949. We became the "49ers"
because of the California Gold Rush. That is why our mascot is a miner.
Do you feel like you have learned something new about Charlotte today? For
our next activity, we are going to look at a diamante poem. Who can tell me
what a diamante poem was again? The first line has one noun, the second line
has 2 adjectives, the third line has 3 verbs, the fourth line has 4 nouns, the
fifth line has 3 verbs, the sixth line has 2 adjectives, and the last line has one
noun. Here is a poem I wrote about Charlotte.
Poem:
4. Guided Practice
Charlotte
Powerful, exciting
Towering, watching, supporting
Panthers, Hornets, Miners, Niners
Expand, change, grow
Friendly, competitive
Charlottean
5. Independent Your task for this is to create your own diamante poem about Charlotte.
Practice Work by yourself to come up with one. Are there any questions?
 Assessment will be based off the poem they created during Independent Practice.
Students will show mastery by using the correct format for the poem. There are 16
6. Assessment parts (or words) to this poem. Students should correctly do 13 out of 16 parts to show
Methods of all mastery. Students who use 12 or less parts correctly will not show mastery.
objectives/skills: Students will also be assessed on participation during the lesson. There are places for
input along the way in the presentation. Students should be actively involved during
this.
To close the lesson, teacher should allow several students to read aloud their
diamante poem that they have created. Students should explain the meaning
7. Closure behind their poem and make connections to the lesson.
Teacher will also ask what students to write on a sticky note one thing that
they have learned today.

8. Assessment Results This section is not to be completed unless the lesson plan has been implemented.
of all objectives/skills:

Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations Student/Small Group

For students having trouble paying attention and
participating, they will be asked to open the presentation on
their Chromebook and go through it independently. ELL
students and those who struggle with writing may submit a
recording of their poem.
Materials/Technology:
Computer, Prezi, paper, pencil.
Modifications/Accommodations
For students who prefer learning and doing things
in an auditory way, they may submit a recording
of their poem. For students struggling to
understand the poem structure, they would be
pulled to the back for further assistance..

References:
http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/history-charlotte
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3876.html
http://www.cmhpf.org/educhargrowth.htm
http://www.cmhpf.org/kids/neighborhoods/CenterCity.html
https://prezi.com/fsphplisqwdr/edit/#61_30863873